Your GMAT score is one of the key factors taken into account for admission to graduate school as you start the MBA application process. This graduate admission exam for MBA candidates can be extremely difficult and calls for significant planning and preparation. The GMAT preparation process has a big impact on whether or not someone gets into the institution of their hopes and ambitions. To aid in the preparation process, GMAT study books are one of the most important tools.
The logical next step after deciding to advance your career is to start studying for the Graduate Management Admission Test. The GMAT can be prepared using a variety of materials. You can join online GMAT forums and purchase GMAT prep materials to aid in your exam preparation. But most people start their preparation with buying one of the many GMAT study books out there. And in fact, these offer a plethora of information and tons of useful tips and tricks. However, it is often challenging to determine which book or resource is best for GMAT preparation due to the abundance of materials on the market.
Read on to learn more about the best books to study for the GMAT.
Table of Contents
Features of a Good Study Book
Actual Prep Strategies
After reading the book, you ought to be able to formulate a plan of approach for the GMAT. For that, the book you choose should have some prep strategies instead of just stacking up exercises.
Exceptional Quality
This may sound like an obvious point. But believe us, there are so many bad books out there. Every prep site sells their own books, and many of them are just crap. Therefore, before placing an order, check Amazon for reviews.
Updated Practice Questions
Look for books that offer high-quality practice questions that are updated and don’t repeat themselves. The GMAT has been around for a very long time. Over time, questions have changed. So make sure the book you choose is up to date.
Following the GMAT Pattern
Check to see if the book follows the GMAT format rather than just rambling on with a few arbitrary practice problems and exams.
Right Focus for You
Manhattan and PowerScore are two books famed for their Verbal sections, whereas others are known for their Quant sections (for instance Kaplan). Some merely provide guidance on strategy, while others only include practice questions. Therefore, choose your GMAT study books in accordance with your study strategy and the focus you need.
Using GMAT Study Books Right
The average student should anticipate devoting roughly 100-120 hours to studying for the GMAT. The best GMAT preparation books guide readers through practical test-taking techniques, typical question types they’ll see on test day, and time-management techniques to make the best of this preparation time.
The GMAT prep books may be very helpful for those who intend to devote a significant amount of time to study in order to improve their results. You can choose the best books and resources to assist you in preparing for the GMAT by being aware of the areas in which you need to improve. That is, defining the areas you need to work on most will help you to maximize your study efficiency. Don’t just start and try to nail everything. First, take a practice test and find out your strong and weak points. Then, focus on the areas you need to improve first and use the GMAT study book of your choice to help you prepare.
Best Books to Study for the GMAT
You can make most of your preparation time and raise your GMAT score by using one or several of the best GMAT study books. Some of these are general books that cover multiple aspects besides the various areas of the GMAT. However, there are also study guides that are divided into sections that might assist you in improving your score where you need to improve most.
In the following, we go through some of the best books to prepare for the GMAT, including general ones, Quant books and Verbal books.
Best GMAT Quantitative Books
Manhattan Prep’s GMAT Foundations of Math
Students looking to improve their GMAT Quantitative performance can obtain guidance from professionals who have personally attained 99th percentile scores. With the help of this book, test takers can grasp the fundamental ideas behind GMAT math questions as well as important test-day tactics.
This well-known manual also provides access to video lectures and hundreds of practice problems.
Kaplan’s GMAT Math Workbook
With more than 300 practice questions, this helpful prep book provides a thorough overview of the key math principles tested on the GMAT. Test takers are taught the scoring criteria for the quantitative component as well as important approaches to solving problems and answering questions based on data.
You’ll also receive practice questions on subjects like algebra, data analysis, and geometry that are frequently tested, along with thorough answer explanations.
Best GMAT Verbal Books
The Critical Reasoning Bible (PowerScore)
This GMAT study guide aids test takers in comprehending argumentation by concentrating on the ideas behind different critical reasoning question types. You’ll gain the ability to respond to questions more swiftly and raise your GMAT score as a result. The ideas you learn will be useful for reading comprehension as well.
This highly regarded GMAT preparation book comes with access to a website that offers additional advice and ideas for the test.
The Critical Reader: The Complete GMAT Sentence Correction Guide
Here, renowned verbal and test preparation specialist Erica L. Meltzer offers her best advice and methods for passing the GMAT’s sentence correction part. Students learn how to differentiate between different question kinds so they can choose the optimal strategy for each one through drills and 150 practice questions.
This book is expected to be used in combination with the official GMAT Verbal guide and explains a variety of important grammar concepts.
Manhattan Prep’s GMAT Foundations of Verbal
This popular prep book from Manhattan Prep provides an overview of the fundamental Verbal ideas covered on the GMAT. The tool is extremely helpful for non-native English speakers. Online GMAT practice exams and interactive lessons additionally help test candidates to prepare for nailing the verbal part.
Additionally, you’ll study the fundamentals of sentence correction, critical thinking, and reading comprehension.
Best GMAT Integrated Reasoning and Analytical Writing Books
Manhattan Prep’s GMAT Integrated Reasoning & Essay
GMAT preparation books scarcely touch on the Integrated Reasoning (IR) and Analytical Writing components of the exam. Thankfully, Manhattan Prep has put together a thorough guide that goes over all the essential information you need to know about these two parts.
This book teaches test takers critical time-management and problem-solving techniques for the IR and essay portions of the GMAT. Additionally, the book includes access to online practice questions.
Best General GMAT Prep Books
The Official Guide to the GMAT Review 2022
This is a bundle consisting of three books including both authentic GMAT test problems from previous tests and all the fundamental information you need to pass the exam: GMAT Review Review Guide, GMAT Quantitative Review Guide and GMAT Verbal Review Guide. Because these books are provided by the developers of the GMAT exam, practice questions in these books are highly realistic. You can get accustomed to the exam’s questions and navigation by using the online test mode, which is exactly like the one used on test day. Most of the time, it makes sense to purchase a package of the three manuals rather than just one.
Pros:
- There are 1700 actual practice questions with thorough explanations.
- Has a high reputation level because it comes directly from the GMAT creators.
- The level of question difficulty follows the GMAT format.
- Adaptive questions are designed to simulate real-world testing.
- Free download of the GMAT mobile app and access to online question banks.
Cons:
- Places more emphasis on full-length examinations and practice questions.
- Doesn’t have enough extremely challenging questions.
- The e-book version may contain formatting issues.
Manhattan Prep’s All the GMAT
The Manhattan Prep’s All the GMAT study book is an extended GMAT study guide that condenses the contents of many other study books into just three books packed with information. You also get access to online supplementary materials and a study syllabus that can be used to organize your GMAT study strategy and increase your GMAT score. The online study plan, which tracks progress so the candidate can better manage his time while studying for the GMAT, is particularly useful.
This study manual, which is frequently rated as one of the top GMAT preparation books, also features six comprehensive, adaptive practice exams and two special e-books that address more challenging material. The package comes with an online GMAT navigator that incorporates a GMAT question bank with in-depth answers and explanations to each question. The computer adaptive GMAT practice exams provide you with realistic exam-like question types. With a mathematical guide, an integrated reasoning and essay guide, and a verbal guide, this GMAT prep book series also covers all essential parts of the GMAT.
The Princeton Review GMAT Premium Prep
A thorough GMAT study guide, free online GMAT resources, in-depth topic reviews, and six computer-adaptive GMAT practice exams are all included in The Princeton Review GMAT Premium Prep, which is marketed as the all-in-one GMAT preparation package. This prep package provides a thorough review of all GMAT subjects, including verbal, quantitative, and integrated reasoning skills. You’ll also love the chapter summaries in bullet form that act as a quick reference for the GMAT study guide.
The package includes six comprehensive GMAT practice tests with in-depth explanations for each question, and a score report so you can review your progress. Additionally, the Princeton Review GMAT Premium Prep includes video tutorials from GMAT professionals to assist with time management and GMAT study strategies. With more than 180 GMAT practice problems that are categorized by difficulty, you may get all the GMAT preparation you need.
Mometrix Test Preparation GMAT Prep Book
With the help of the Mometrix Test Preparation GMAT Prep Book, you may learn all the tricks to getting high GMAT scores. The verbal, quant, analytical writing, and integrated reasoning parts of the GMAT are all thoroughly covered in this high-quality study guide. Mometrix provides crucial guidance on time management, goal-setting, and approaches for handling all GMAT question types.
The online tools include step-by-step video lectures as well as a question bank function that offers thorough explanations for each GMAT question. These explanations are especially beneficial because they help to identify what you did right and where you still need to improve.
This GMAT prep book’s integrated reasoning chapter discusses connected problems, clear and acceptable writing, logical arrangement, and information synthesis from images. The quantitative component of the guide covers mathematical operations, equations, functions, polynomials, probability and more. The verbal portion examines cause-and-effect relationships, passage types, implications, etc. The fact that Mometrix Test Preparation’s GMAT Prep Book includes online review videos with explanations of the concepts makes it additionally helpful.
Buying GMAT Study Books Second Hand
Even though GMAC tries to update their exam as little as possible, a few minor adjustments like content alterations or modifications to the way questions are formatted happen every year. Does this justify buying brand new books to prepare for the GMAT?
Not necessarily. Most GMAT study book publishers do not drastically change their books from year to year. Also, not all the changes that happen are actually immediately known to publishers. Therefore, there is no guarantee that a book that states to be up to date actually is. Publishers may even overstate or misinterpret minor changes announced by GMAC, resulting in new materials that aren’t quite GMAT-like.
However, if you are going for the official GMAT guides, buying the latest editions can indeed make sense. The GMAC itself is the only source for GMAT materials that will accurately reflect any recent minor modifications to the test. All three sections of the GMAT are updated in these books. These books will accurately reflect even small changes that are made in a particular year because they are produced by the same business that produces the GMAT.
In general, though, it is not really necessary to purchase the most recent official GMAT study book. In fact, investing in an earlier official GMAT practice book can even be beneficial as it is a cheap source of many still relevant practice questions. You will find many second hand study books, often in bundles for very low prices. These are still helpful and relevant, especially if you are on a budget.
Final Thoughts
The GMAT is not a piece of cake. Therefore, thorough preparation is key. Having a good book to prepare for the GMAT will help you learn more about test-taking techniques, time management, and approaches to different question types. But choose wisely. Having one of the best GMAT study books can make a big difference in your preparation.